One item on the Master Parking Plan Advisory Committee draft list of recommendations that didn’t make the cut on Tuesday is euphemistically called “Trash Plaza.” Bear Plaza, the cozy, charming stretch of narrow open space that starts on Middle Street, comes to an abrupt end at Trash Plaza. The area doesn’t have a formal name, and consists of a meandering parking lot punctuated by concrete islands, random shrubbery, garbage cans, and the faint aroma of bat guano — all owned by something like 14 people or entities (see Craven County GIS map, right). “The MPPAC (or, advisory committee for short) recommends the BOA (or, BoardRead More →

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Paid parking on Broad Street won’t be among the recommendations an advisory committee brings to the Board of Aldermen at its Nov. 21 meeting. The Downtown Parking Advisory Committee also decided not to meddle with current parking rules on Broad Street, New Street, Hancock Street and Metcalf Street. Both proposals were among several contained in a draft list of recommendations that came before the committee on Tuesday. The committee will finalize its plan on Tuesday, Nov. 14, before bringing its recommendations to the Board of Aldermen on Tuesday, Nov. 21. The committee will likely proceed with its recommendation to start enforcing 2-hour parking limits inRead More →

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Lots of folks in downtown New Bern think they dodged a bullet when a downtown parking advisory committee leaned against recommending paid parking throughout downtown. Except along Broad Street. Folks there are still at the shooty-shooty end of the barrel. The committee will probably recommend that the city start enforcing the two-hour parking limit downtown. But anticipating an exodus of cars to nearby unregulated streets starting with Broad Street, the committee came up with the idea of installing paid parking kiosks charging a dollar an hour on Broad Street from the traffic circle to Middle Street. Parking would be free on nights, weekends, holidays andRead More →

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A study commissioned by New Bern and released in 2007 made several recommendations to improve Downtown New Bern’s parking situation. A parking structure was not among the recommendations, but was mentioned as an aside. The report by Lanier Parking Solutions recommended against adding paid parking downtown, unless the city built a parking structure, in which case it would need to have paid parking to pay for the construction costs. If a parking structure was considered, it recommended one of four locations: Within the “super block” between Middle, South Front, Craven and Pollock streets. The city lot at 100 Craven St. The Farmers Market Behind theRead More →

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Who’s on the committee? In this corner, City Hall Dallas Blackiston, chairman, Ward 1 alderman. His ward includes Downtown New Bern. Leaving office in December E.T. Mitchell, Ward 3 alderman. Her ward neighbors Downtown New Bern. Leaving office in December Jeffrey Odham, Ward 6 alderman. His ward comes nowhere near Downtown New Bern.  Mark Stephens, city manager. His staff reports form the basis of committee discussions and decisions. Brenda Blanco, city clerk. Posts agendas, keeps minutes, distributes background material … and peculiarly, is a voting member of the committee. Downtown folks, sort of John Bircher, Swiss Bear Downtown Development Corporation president (day job, lawyer) KevinRead More →

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Various things I found interesting After sorting through a 300-page collection of background information and committee minutes (plus some odds and ends from last week’s committee meeting), I made the following notes: Committee member Leanna Tyson says she does not often visit downtown and was unaware city parking lots exist. E.T. Mitchell said she only goes downtown on weekends (although she does attend aldermen meetings, which are Tuesday evenings). Five voting committee members represent city hall including the city clerk. I can’t recall a city clerk ever having a vote. At any rate, it would be unsurprising if these five voted as a single bloc.Read More →

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Going into extra innings, the city Parking Advisory Committee is meeting Tuesday to iron out recommendations it will make at an upcoming Board of Aldermen meeting. The committee meets Tuesday afternoon at the Police Substation at New Bern Mall, because what better way to encourage public participation than holding a meeting in a police station? The committee was supposed to present its recommendations to the Board of Aldermen on Oct. 24 but has gone two meetings past that date, including the one scheduled for Nov. 7. It has until Dec. 12 to present its recommendations, after which it dissolves. Two aldermen on the committee vacateRead More →

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The New Bern Post staked out its territory early: I cover local government and policy. That leaves huge gaps all over the place, but there’s no point reinventing the wheel when there are great websites like New Bern Now providing comprehensive news and information about other useful, interesting and important things in our community. With permission from Wendy Card, founder of New Bern Now, I have added an RSS feed to newbernpost.com highlighting the most recent examples of New Bern Now’s great community coverage. The feed is located in the top right side of newbernpost.com web pages, We met over coffee at Bee Bops and agreedRead More →

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The city hired a South Carolina man as its new parks and recreation director, a position that pays $106,500 a year. Foster Hughes, former parks, recreation and tourism director for Conway, S.C., starts his new job in New Bern on Nov. 6. Hughes has 18 years of experience working in parks and recreation and extensive expertise in budget oversight, park and facility improvements, wellness and athletic programming, seasonal camps and programs, and special event planning, according to the City of New Bern website. City Manager Mark Stephens said the city received about 400 resumes for this position.  “Mr. Hughes distinguished himself among a large poolRead More →

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City Manager Mark Stephens said his research leads him to believe downtown New Bern has had a parking problem for the last 100 years. A committee set up by the city seeks to solve downtown parking problems after about seven or eight meetings. Chaired by lame duck Alderman Dallas Blackiston as his swan song gig as alderman, the committee plans to recommend to the Board of Aldermen during an upcoming meeting that two-hour parking be enforced on downtown streets … … Except for two blocks of Broad Street, between the East Front Street traffic circle and Middle Street. That stretch of city streets would beRead More →

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